Super curricular activities
What’s that, another education buzzword? Well yes, actually, but these neat subject-boosters are essentially just anything that’s on-topic but out-of-school: they’re above and beyond (super-) what’s on your curriculum (-curricular).
What are super curricular activities?
- Super-curricular’ activities are educational activities which go above and beyond the school curriculum.
- This can be anything from podcasts, documentaries, trips to a museum, books, magazines, online programmes and more.
- This will be particularly important as you prepare to write your personal statement, and will also give you a broader insight into potential degree choices.
- Applicable to any chosen degree subject.
- Not expected to pay for this sort of exploration, there are lots of resources freely available.
- Take time to explore things that you genuinely find interesting and see where your investigations lead you.
- There are lots of suggestions for places to start exploring your own interests in your chosen subject independently.
How to choose resources…
There are no right or wrong resources to use when it comes to super-curricular activities There is no one thing everyone who studies a certain subject will have read or done before they apply to University – you get to choose what will work best for you. You can choose a resource that expands and goes beyond something from a school lesson or it can be based on a topic you’ve never studied but would like to. The main thing is that it is something you are passionate about and will enjoy doing.
How to get the most out of super-curricular activities…
- To get the most out of these activities and resources, you should think critically about things you engage with.
- For example, think about why you are interested in this topic, what more you would like to know about it and how your opinion has changed or stayed the same as a result of what you have read/seen/listened to (reflections).
- These activities will be what forms the academic content of your personal statement and may be asked about at a University interview.
- Keep a note of what you have done, and your reflections, to make sure you don’t forget.
Cambridge super-curricular suggestions-
Individual college websites & course departments have their own suggestions
Other examples
- Podcasts
- Documentaries/ TV programmes
- EPQ topic
- Books
- Course textbooks
- Journals
- MOOCs
- TED Talks
- Newspaper/ magazine articles (e.g. New Scientist)
- Events
- Museum/gallery tours (can be done virtually)
- Subject competitions – Essay-writing, Photography, Art, Olympiads etc.
- Subject societies/clubs (Med Soc, Law, Debate)
- University subject masterclasses – investigate departmental websites
Super-Curricular vs Extra-Curricular
“Extra-curricular activities are those outside of your chosen topic, and unrelated to your studies, whereas super-curricular activities take the subjects you study further, beyond what you have learnt at school.” Cambridge University Website
We’re not looking for people who can memorise lots of facts – instead, we want to see that you can think critically by finding connections, reflecting on and even challenging what you’ve read and watched.
If you’re finding the super-curricular activities boring then that might be a sign that you haven’t found the subject that’s right for you – don’t worry, just try something else. Hertford College, Oxford
Super-curricular activities are a great way to explore your subject in-depth and discover topics you are really interested in, and they can also help you to confirm that you’ve chosen the right subject to study at university.
Super-curricular is different to extra-curricular. Extra-curricular activities are those outside of your chosen topic, and unrelated to your studies, whereas super-curricular activities take the subjects you study further, beyond what you have learnt at school or college.
Super-curricular activities are not mandatory. However, they can help you make a competitive application, and prepare you for a challenging academic environment, so we strongly recommend them. Super-curricular participation can enhance your personal statement, give you greater confidence in your subject choice, show that you are serious about your area of study, and give you a wealth of ideas to draw upon in discussions if you’re invited to interview.
It’s likely that you’ll develop new ideas and opinions, critical thinking and analytical skills, and an ability to understand new information from different sources – this is all great preparation for succeeding at university.
What types of activities should I be looking for?
You can delve deeper into your subject in many ways, such as:
- Reading books, specialist magazines and journals
- Visiting museums and galleries
- Watching films and documentaries
- Listening to podcasts
- Attending online seminars and lectures
- Entering academic competitions
Remember to think about the ideas you are discovering, consider the arguments being made, and form your own thoughts and opinions about them. You might find it useful to discuss what you are learning with a friend, relative or teacher which could be great practice for an academic interview.
Personal statement stalemate?
Let’s get super-curricular…
Sample
Since the age of three, when I first looked up at the night sky, I have been passionate about physics. It is an awe-inspiring subject that I love and want to study at university. As Einstein said, “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the universe.” I hope by studying physics I can improve on some of humanity’s stupidity.
A snappy start to your personal statement? Probably not… While it’s all well and good to say how much you love your subject, without any proof it’s too easy to dismiss all this passion as generalisation, cliché and meaningless waffle. So, prove it instead. Don’t tell how much you love your subject. Show!Once you’ve found something that works for you, stick at it and keep digging. Doing a hundred different super-curricular activities might keep you busy, but it’s more interesting for universities to be able to see depth rather than breadth of exploration.
Here’s what some deep engagement might look like…
Maybe you were listening to a podcast that mentioned something that caught your attention. You then went on YouTube and found the person they were interviewing has given a talk that’s now online. While watching this, you discovered that she has written a book about the topic, which you asked your school library to order in for you. You read the book and there was one particular chapter that really made you think. You found there were some good review papers on the subject of that chapter freely available online so you read a couple of those, and you realised there was an interesting connection between… In this way, you’re actively engaging with the material and that’s an easy way to convince someone that you’re motivated to study that subject at degree level.
Books will never go out of fashion, and there is plenty of excellent super-curricular reading you can find. The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press can wholeheartedly be recommended.
If you find a particular topic that you want to dig deeper into, maybe see if there’s an introduction to it in this ever-increasing collection. Or if you would rather write than read, why not get yourself involved with a student newspaper or journal?
Further Information
For students wishing to explore their subjects beyond what has been suggested on the list, we advise they speak to their subject teachers and other experts for further recommendations.
knowledge resource-‘Very Short Introductions’ offer concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects that combine facts, analysis, new insights, and enthusiasm to make often challenging topics highly readable to develop your core knowledge.
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